Willie G. "Bill" Fenton, 59

April 01, 2003

Willie G. "Bill" Fenton would be the first to say that delivering newspapers was tough work. But Mr. Fenton, who delivered the Chicago Tribune for 13 years, balanced the rigors of the job with the joy of working with friends and family. As the owner of Fenton News Agency and responsible for delivering 2,000 papers a day--3,000 on Sunday--Mr. Fenton employed 10 people, including his wife and one of his daughters. "At one time or another, we've all worked with the agency," said his wife of 37 years, Vera, who keeps the books for the business. Mr. Fenton, 59, died Saturday, March 22, after suffering a heart attack. Mr. Fenton, who was born in Columbus, Miss., moved with his family to Chicago when he was 5. His father, a factory worker, convinced most of his relatives to move to Chicago, too. After graduating from Marshall High School, Mr. Fenton worked at several jobs before joining Sealy Mattress Co., where he learned computer operation on the job. He stayed there for 17 years until the company closed its Chicago office. A friend told him about a job delivering papers at the Tribune, and Mr. Fenton took it. The area covered the South Shore neighborhood and farther west, and running it 365-days-a-year was difficult. "But in 13 years, including time spent in the hospital, he may have missed 20 days," his wife said. His daughter Darlene is taking over the business. Mr. Fenton's favorite outlet was gambling on horses with his friends, his wife said. "He could make you laugh in a second, and he'd always let you know what the truth is," said his son Michael. Other survivors include another son, Willie; another daughter, Sharlene; a brother, Jeffery; two sisters, Priscilla McCoy and Gloria Walker; and nine grandchildren. Services have been held.